Fourth Age Date Conversion

[Aiwendil]

Originally Posted by Legolas

The change to a March 25 new year (start of 3019) and the change to Fourth Age (late 3021) were established over two years apart. Years had already been starting on March 25 as of T.A. 3019, so T.A. 3021 and F.A. 1 would be exactly the same year from beginning to end.

I had completely overlooked the fact that the change in the new year occurred before the beginning of the Fourth Age.

Actually, it seems to me that this means there is still a contradiction. Leaving aside Shire Reckoning, we then have T.A. 3021 = F.A. 1, with no overlap between F.A. 1 and T.A. 3022. Each T.A. year x from 3021 onward corresponds exactly to the F.A. year (x - 3020). But then we have these facts:

- Eomer's death date is given as T.A. 3084 and F.A. 63. But T.A. 3084 should be F.A. 64.

- Gimli's departure is given as T.A. 3141 and F.A. 120. But T.A. 3141 should be F.A. 121.

The apparent discrepancies between S.R. and F.A. can still be explained away as in my first post, with events falling between Yule and March 25 or between March 25 and Yule as necessary. But if T.A. and F.A. years correspond exactly, then it fails for the two cases above.